Beezel was sulking quite openly.
He had apparently managed to meet his mother in Village Five, but she had brushed him off as a nuisance, claiming he was getting in the way of her work. Furthermore, he was disgruntled to find that she had established a Ladies' Association in Village Five and was enjoying herself immensely.
Even if she had technically retired from the role, she was still a Countess Chrome. He felt that if she had that much free time, she could at least help Silkyne, the current Countess Chrome. Having someone experienced to consult with made a world of difference.
Silkyne did have her own beauty-related business, which she publicly insisted was merely a hobby. However, it also served as a vital channel for maintaining connections within noble society. Beezel had assumed that a Ladies' Association in Village Five wouldn't hold much sway, but he had been proven wrong. Its members turned out to be the mothers and grandmothers of the Demon Kingdom’s political heavyweights.
Since Beezel wouldn't stop grumbling, Frau eventually plopped Fracia onto his lap to shut him up. As expected, even Beezel couldn't maintain a sour face in front of the little girl.
I wondered if the people who occasionally put children on my lap did so for the same reason. I didn't think I complained all that much, though.
"It's because you were always lamenting the lack of parent-child communication," Lu interjected.
"Ah, I see."
It wasn't that I disliked it. Parent-child bonding was important. However, at the moment, Lu herself was sitting on my lap.
"Is there a problem?" she asked.
"No, no problem at all."
Seeing Versa, I remembered to ask for autographs for the staff at the Meleo breeding grounds before I forgot. I carefully locked the signed books away in a sturdy safe.
"Do you really value them that much?" Versa asked.
"If I don't keep them under lock and key, Zabuton will scold me," I explained. They weren't exactly the kind of things I wanted the children to see. I didn't intend to meddle in Versa's hobbies, but I was hesitant to let the kids get actively involved with them. It might have been irresponsible of me, but I preferred to let nature take its course.
"That reminds me, Village Head," Versa said. "I hear you’ve become acquainted with Bee-baa."
"Ah, yes. We met by chance during my trip."
"She’s quite a force. She started drawing just so she could read my manuscripts as early as possible. She even catches mistakes in the text, which is a huge help."
"I’ve heard."
"Yes. And she’s technically your relative now, isn't she?"
"She’s Frau’s great-grandmother, so yes, she is definitely family."
"Then do you plan to bring her here eventually?"
"I invited her, but she didn't seem very interested."
"She’s likely curious, but there are far too many Angels here for her liking."
Ah, that made sense. Bee-baa was a Demon. Given her age, she belonged to the generation that had fought the Angel Race. There was likely lingering resentment there.
"I’m sure she knows the Angels in this village don't go on rampages, though."
I realized I hadn't given that enough consideration.
"For that reason, I’d prefer if you didn't bring her here by force."
"I know. I won't force anyone to come here if they don't want to."
As we spoke, one of Kuro's pups—likely born last year—trotted up to me with a wagging tail. A High Ogre maid followed close behind. She gestured for the pup to come to her, but the little wolf ducked behind me and Versa, using us as shields. He looked up at me with pleading eyes, as if to say, "You just said we shouldn't force anyone to do what they hate!"
It was true that coercion wasn't ideal. However, I scooped up the pup and handed him over to the maid anyway. He shouldn't look at me with such betrayal. He just needed to take his bath.
We then discussed Wind Demon Crystals, the magical minerals Bee-baa had used in her buried house. Depending on the region, they were also known as Blue Demon Crystals or Sky Crystals. When I asked Lu if we had any, she produced a variety: extra-large, large, medium, small, fragments, and even powder.
"What do you use the powder for?" I asked.
"Fire, mostly," Lu explained. "Adding this helps things burn more easily. It’s like a fire starter, though there are better alternatives. It’s also mixed into earthen walls. Apparently, if you use it in the walls of a cellar, you might survive an emergency, like being buried alive."
"Oh?"
"It’s mostly just for peace of mind, though. There's no way to prove the crystal was the reason someone survived. People have survived even without crystals in the walls."
"I see."
Perhaps the amount mixed into the walls didn't supply enough oxygen. Or, since Bee-baa mentioned they were consumables, they might lose their effectiveness over time.
"People who work in cellars usually carry medium-sized crystals as charms, so those might actually be more effective."
"I suppose that makes sense. A medium-sized stone feels much more reliable than powder."
"So, what are you planning to do with these?"
"Oh, I just thought I might be able to make something."
"You'll show it to me when it's finished, right?"
"Of course."
Wait, I almost forgot the main point.
"Lu, I remember those jars you made once—the magic tools that sent air?"
"Jars that sent air?" she asked. "About this big?"
"Yes."
"Oh, those! I remember making them. But they don't actually pump air. They’re more like windows. Magic circles at the bottom of the two jars allow air to flow between them spontaneously. I sold them as voice transmission tools."
Magic speaking tubes, then. No wonder they were jars.
"But they only work over short distances, so they didn't sell well. Direct shouting was usually faster. What about them?"
"I accidentally crushed one of the set while leveling a hill. Could you make a replacement?"
"I could make something far superior now, you know."
"No, please. It has to be exactly the same. Bee-baa was very insistent about that."
Actually, since her house was now unearthed, she didn't really need them, but I felt obligated to replace what I’d broken. I’d offered to settle it with money, but she’d scolded me, saying she didn't want any.
"Understood. As long as you provide the jars, it won't take even a day."
"Thanks. I'm counting on you."
A few days later, I delivered a new set of jars to Bee-baa in Village Five. They worked exactly like the old ones.
"These jars look quite expensive, don't they?" she noted.
"I commissioned them from the Goroun Company."
"You idiot! These look like they belong in a noble's drawing room! I can't just leave these outside!"
She accepted them, but she gave me an earful nonetheless. Apparently, she planned to use them as an intercom system between rooms from now on.
Lu: "Wind Demon Crystals help if you're buried alive, but I’ve heard they can be dangerous during a fire." Village Head: "Ah, right. They'd probably accelerate the flames."